Leaving

Wow I am leaving the country in less than 48 hours! The time has finally arrived and I have such mixed emotions. I am very ready to be on that plane heading overseas, but I also am finding my niche here at home. This summer our church has the opportunity to work with 24 Moldovan college students and I've been hanging out with them for the past two weeks and I love spending time with them! It's hard because my ministry has been brought right to my front door, I don't have to go around the world to find it! I've had great conversations with several of the guys and I believe that God has brought them here to find Him. I am praying for the Father to reveal Himself to each of them this summer and that they will have a desire to know Him.

So it's hard to leave because what I feel called to do is finally here in my hometown. But, I do know that come September they will all be on planes on their way home to Moldova and I will be getting settled in Russia and speaking my newly acquired Russian. So to wrap up my mixed emotions for you, I am sad to be leaving family and friends, yes even new friends, but I know that God has something great for me just through that next door.

Oh and for those of you who do not know this, I am no longer going to Khabarovsk, but will be traveling to Kiev, Ukraine for language study until August. Then I will travel to Vladivostok where I will continue studying Russian as well as begin teaching English courses. These have been pretty big changes, but again, I can see God's hand upon each change.

I leave Thursday afternoon for Ukraine and I would appreciate all the prayers on my behalf to the Father!

An Invitation

All this time I've been waiting on an invitation. Well the invitation has arrived! I knew it would in God's perfect timing, but it's a little frustrating to have to wait with nothing to do. :) I still have a little more time of waiting while my visa is being processed, but at least now I know that I have been invited to the country! :D

Today I was running errands and I was about to change the radio station when this song came on. I can't tell you if I've ever really heard the song from the beginning to end, but God allowed me to today, and He spoke to me through it. Here's the song by Downhere-Here I Am.

Sometimes your calling, comes in dream.
Sometimes in comes in the Spirit's breeze,
You reach for the deepest part of me,
And call out for the things of eternity.
But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say,

CHORUS:Here I am, Lord send me,
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me,
Somehow my story, Is part of your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans,
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands,
Are you not the closest when it's hardest to stand?
I know that you will finish what you began.
These broken parts you redeem,
Become the song, that I can sing

(chorus)

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness,
And the fear that I'll fail you in the end,
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but you can.